AN inquest into the death of a Reading headteacher has been told Ofsted inspectors do receive training to help manage stress during inspections but there is ‘no written guidance’.

Christopher Russell, National Director, Education and His Majesty’s Inspector was speaking on Tuesday (November 28) at the inquest of Ruth Perry, the former head of Caversham Primary School.

Ms Perry took her own life on January 8 this year at the age of 53, shortly after being told her school was being downgraded from outstanding to inadequate after an Ofsted inspection.

Read live coverage from the first day of the inquest here.

The Ofsted inspection - the school's first in 13 years - took place on November 15 and 16 last year with Ms Perry allegedly telling her sister it was ‘the worst day of her life’, describing the experience as ‘dreadful’. 

The safeguarding of the school was marked as ‘ineffective’ by the education watchdog in the original report, leading to an overall ‘inadequate’ rating for the school - it has since been upgraded to 'good' in June.

Mr Russell, who was appointed in 2006 as an inspector, gave evidence on the first day of the inquest at Berkshire Coroner’s Court.

He was asked if inspectors are trained to help manage the stress and anxiety headteachers and staff members may experience during an Ofsted inspection.

“It's a core value in terms of how we work and train inspectors,” he told senior coroner Heidi Connor.

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"It's very important to do everything we possibly can on the inspection to form a positive relationship with the headteacher and staff in the school.

"From the very beginning from the telephone call to the visit, we do everything we can."

Ms Connor asked if an inspection could be ‘modified’ or stopped’ if staff members exhibited signs of stress or anxiety.

Mr Russell stated it was ‘unusual’ but it ‘can be done’ and ‘has been done’ in the past.

However, when later asked by James Robottom, the barrister representing Ms Perry’s family, if there was a written policy about modifying or stopping inspections at the sign of stress, Mr Russell said he was ‘not aware’ if there was a written policy or not.

When later asked by the barrister representing Reading Borough Council (RBC) and Caversham Primary School (CPS) if he thought it was a ‘weakness’ to not have written guidance, or to have risk assessments carried out ahead of assessments, Mr Russell responded: “No.”

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Mr Russell was also asked by Ms Connor who was responsible for Ms Perry’s welfare at the time of the inspection.

He said ‘the governing body’ or the ‘local authority’.